


hold me and i'll swim to you

by edenx



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, Fluff, Psychological, Romance, posie - Freeform, they don't have powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 14:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21101177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenx/pseuds/edenx
Summary: Penelope's a swimming prodigy but with some issues... and Josie's just this girl in love.





	hold me and i'll swim to you

**Author's Note:**

> honestly this one shot did not turn out the way I wanted it to but since I had started it before s2 started and we're lacking Posie content, I'm going through with it anyways
> 
> I am not a great writer but I hope you guys enjoy it anygays!;)
> 
> come find me at https://edenx-shu.tumblr.com

And the crowd goes wild—— Screams and cheers were heard all around.  
YES, Penelope Park finally set a new swimming record. 

Who’s Penelope Park, you say? 

Only the coolest person to have ever roamed the corridors of the Salvatore school. The star of the Salvatore swimming team. The HWIC. The girl everyone, boys and girls included, wanted to be or sleep with. They weren’t sure which one. That’s just how captivating she is. Her piercing green eyes with a tint of gold would even shine under the reflection of the water. 

Everyone was mesmerized by her, especially a certain Josie Saltzman. Josie Saltzman has only been crushing on Penelope Park ever since she met her. She still remembers their first encounter. Her twin sister, Lizzie Saltzman who is also part of the swimming team had made the introductions. Josie was so stunned by her incredible beauty that she was at a loss for words when Penelope first said hi. She must’ve been very obvious about it, because even Lizzie stifled a laugh looking at Josie’s reaction. 

When Penelope Park joined the team, Lizzie had immediately clicked with her. What better than two obnoxious narcissistic girls bitching together about others? They get along so great. Although Lizzie is not entirely happy that Penelope seems to have gotten more momentum than her, she tries her best to be supportive. She knows how strict Penelope’s parents are and how much Penelope struggles for approval. 

Penelope’s entire life since a very young age revolved around swimming. Morning runs, swim meets and more training at the pool all the time. She practically spent her whole childhood surrounded by water. Her parents only care about the results. Imagine that kind of pressure on a kid and what that does to their psyche. 

Penelope had just gotten out of the water when she is met with a crowd of people surrounding her. She looks around to see if her parents are there, but they are nowhere to be seen. Of course. 

“HEY OMG you did it!! Congrats!” 

“I know, Liz. Thanks.” 

Penelope said that with a stern expression on her face.

“Come on you just a new record Pen! Don’t act like your cat just died.” 

“Hah you’re right, I guess it’s a good thing.” 

“Dude, it’s a great thing! We are totally throwing the most epic party tonight just for you!” 

“I don’t know Liz. I’m not sure that’s a great idea. We still have swimming practice tomorrow morning.” 

“Can you loosen up a lil bit! I’m sure it’ll be fine and besides, you don’t have to drink that much. We can’t have a party without the guest of honour. Pretty please?” 

“Ugh fine. Anyways I need to hit the shower ‘cause I smell like damn chlorine.” 

“Catch ya later”

Penelope went into the lockers and grabbed her phone. There’s a bunch of notifications, but she definitely sees the text that she expected to receive. It’s from her dad. 

Dad: Your mom and I saw the results online. You were a little slow when you did that last turn. Keep practicing.

Hah. What a shocker. She set a new record and they don’t even congratulate her. Instead, they reprimand her on her fucking turn. Great parents they are. She shoves her phone in her bag and grabs her shower kit. She slams the locker door and just as she turns around, she bumps into someone.

“Shit I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Penelope looks up and sees that it’s a certain brunette.

“Josie? What are you doing here?”

“It’s fine haha, it’s my fault for sneaking up behind you.”, says Josie with a smile.

“I wanted to congratulate you for setting a new record, but I couldn’t do it earlier since you were surrounded by so many people. So I thought I could catch you in the lockers.”

“Well here I am,'' says Penelope as she winks. “Good thing I wasn’t already naked in the showers before you came in huh.”

Josie’s cheeks redden immediately at that comment. 

God, did Penelope loved messing with this girl. She’s so adorable. Of course Penelope was very aware that Josie Saltzman was crushing on her. I mean who wasn’t? The thing is she’s just so busy with swimming, she doesn’t have time for a relationship that involves commitment. She does like Josie, but she can’t give this beautiful tall brunette the hope that they might have a chance at becoming a couple. So instead, she settles for some casual flirting. Totally safe right. 

Having regained her composure, Josie takes out a small turtle keychain out of her handbag and hands it to Penelope.

“Here, this is for you. For your win.”

“A turtle? Why?”

“I thought it was kind of ironic, because sometimes when you smile, you look like a turtle and yet you’re so fast when you’re in the water.”

“Aww, thanks Jojo. That’s quite thoughtful of you.”

“No problem.” Josie has a huge grin on her face now. 

“Are you going to the party tonight?”

“Um, well parties aren’t kind of my thing.”

“But it’s a party for me. You would dare skip a party in my honour. Wow, I’m offended.” 

“NO! that’s….that’s not what I meant. I, uhh----” Josie didn’t know what to say, she was searching for her words.

“I’m just kidding Jojo. But I’d really like it if you’d come. It would make the party less boring.”

Hearing this gave Josie a new sense of confidence. Penelope Park wanted her to be there.

“If I come, will you spend your time with me?” 

Slightly surprised at this bold move from Josie, Penelope thinks for a bit. She does not want to be in too deep with Saltzman, but she’s the one who asked her to come to the party and pushed the limits of her teasing. She can’t back out of it now.

“Of course I will.” 

“Fine, I’ll think about it.” Josie jokingly says that, but she already knows she’ll go just so she can spend some time with Penelope. 

Catching on, Penelope flashes her typical smirk and unbelievable attractive wink and replies, “Great, see you there JoJo”

She leaves a speechless blushing Josie behind before hopping into the shower.  
Josie left the locker room all giggly and went to her room to get ready for the party.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“HOPE!!!” Josie practically yells as she goes into her best friend’s room. 

“Damn girl, what’s got you yelling like that?” she replies.

“You’ll never guess what just happened!” Josie says excitedly.

“You finally confessed your feelings to Penelope Park and you guys are dating?” Hope guesses jokingly.

“No you idiot! I mean of course I wish I was that brave, but no. But I still have some good news: Penelope Park wants me to go to the party to spend time with me!!”

“Did I hear correctly? Josie Saltzman at a party?”

“Stop being ridiculous and hear me out here Hope” Josie says as she rolls her eyes.

“I’m just messing with you, that’s really awesome! But for real I already told you a million times that she likes you back. When will you take my word for it?”

“I don’t know… maybe she just wants to hang out with a friend that she’s comfortable with.”

“Come on Josie, we both know that you guys aren’t just friends. Anyone from ten miles away can tell that you guys are practically soulmates.”

At that comment, Josie’s heart skips a beat. Were they that obvious? 

“Fine, whatever. Just help me pick an outfit for tonight. We’ll see how it goes and maybe i’ll tell her how I feel”

“That’s my girl” as Hope gives her a shoulder nudge and walks off to find an outfit for Josie that she’s sure will mindblown Penelope. She had great plans for the future couple.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Don’t you think that’s too revealing?” Josie says as she shifts a bit uncomfortably in the red crop top and short jeans Hope picked for her.

“Trust me, it’s perfect.” Hope replies and gives a reassuring pat in the back of her best friend.

“Go get your girl.”

Penelope was quite easy to find in a party. Just look for her at the center of the party. She always had that rocking leather jacket and ripped black jeans outfit at a party because  
she know she killed that look. Hell, she could show up in sweatpants and people would still think that she’s super hot.  
As soon as Penelope made eye contact with Josie in the crowd, she immediately stepped aside and went to join the brunette.  
From far away you couldn’t really tell what Josie was wearing, but as she got closer, she definitely got a better look at what the Saltzman twin was wearing and wow, can she say that it made her feel things. But she has to play it cool right.

“You made it!”

“Of course Pen, I wouldn’t miss a party in your honor for the world.”

“Aw you’re really too sweet for your own good. Also, can I say you look breathtaking tonight.”

Josie blushed at the compliment.

“Thanks, Hope helped me. You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Josie said with as she raised her one of eyebrows tauntingly and smiled innocently.

Penelope made a mental note to thank Hope later for this amazing view.

“So what do you want to do?” The smaller girl asks.

“I don’t know... What do people usually do at parties?” 

“Drink their feelings away and regret it the next day.”

Josie chuckled at that.

“But unfortunately I have practice tomorrow, so let’s just take it down a notch.”

Josie looked around and hears loud music coming from the Old Mill. A little light sparks up in her mind.

“Come on, I know just what to do.” She says as she grabs Penelope’s hand and drags her towards the mill.

Penelope looks down at their intertwined hands and can’t help but smile at this. She hasn’t felt so many of these kind of emotions in a long time.

As they arrive in the middle of a very crowded dance floor, Josie lets go of Penelope’s hand and starts swaying to the beat of the music. Penelope misses the warmth of her hand right away. It seemed to fit so perfectly. 

She looks up to see a really enthusiastic Josie dancing and she joins her. They start singing along to the music, jumping up and down. She’s so happy with Josie. She doesn’t have to think about anything else. Would she be happy all the time if she was with Josie? Should she just ask her out already?

No. No, she can’t. Josie deserves better. Josie deserves someone who will have time for her. Someone who’s good at what they do. She’s just Penelope. She’s not good enough for Josie. She’s not even good enough for her parents. Their words echo in her head. They always tell her about how she sucks at swimming and how much more she has to improve to be better. To be perfect. And that’s who Josie deserves. So no, she can’t ask Josie out, at least not until she’s perfect.  
In that moment, Penelope’s heart breaks and she can’t face Josie anymore. In order to be perfect, she has to practice more, she shouldn’t be here at this party. She knows better than that. And so, she leaves. She was just dancing with Josie. They were close, eyes devouring each other, but when Penelope had her moment of revelation, her face dropped and all she could say is “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be here.” And she walked away, leaving a confused Josie alone on the dance floor.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Josie knew about Penelope’s struggle. She had hunches about Penelope’s mood swings. She never  
was confronted with one of them, but she has often heard about them from Lizzie. About how Penelope would one second be the queen of the world, and the next she would be like a dog trying to learn how to swim. About how she would spend nights not sleeping and running instead to improve her cardio. About how all of this had to do with her over controlling parents. Josie wanted to be there for her. Not because she likes her. Well, that. But also because no one should ever deal with these kind of issues on their own.

She found Penelope sitting by the pool, feet dangling in the water.

“Hey you”

To say Penelope was startled by the presence of someone else in the pool is an understatement. She was so deep in her own thoughts that she didn’t hear Josie come in. So when she heard the voice of the certain brunette, she turned around a bit too quickly and lost her equilibrium and fell into the pool. 

Josie, not meaning to do that at all, couldn’t contain her laugh at all. Her sweet voice echoed in the pool.

“THAT is not funny at all Jojo. Look what you did to me”

“ Oh my god, I’m so sorry Pen. I really didn’t mean to do that.” Josie said that with completely no hint of actual remorse.

“Right, help me out of the water now, come on.”

Josie moved forward and out her hand out so she could grab Penelope, but she was too naive, too trusting. A quick grab and pull got her into the water as well. 

“And that’s what you get for trusting a Park.” The raven-haired girl said with a mischievous smirk.

Josie couldn’t help but laugh with her. Penelope was too hot and sexy in the water for Josie to be mad at her for getting her wet. In both sense?;)

“So are you okay? What happened out there?”

“I don’t know...”

“Come on, Pen. Talk to me please.”

“It’s just... you know. My parents are never satisfied with my results. And it’s just sad. Anything I do they always expect better.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”

Josie was staring right at her, but Penelope couldn’t hold her gaze. She averted her eyes.

“How do you know that? They may be right.” 

“Pen. Look at me.”

Josie swam closer to Penelope and within a few seconds, she was right in front of her. Her fingers touched Penelope’s face softly and moved her face to directly gaze into her beautiful green eyes.

“You are, Penelope Park, the most amazing person I have ever met. Not only are you the best swimmer out here, but you are also studious and hard-working. You have such a kind soul and a huge heart that’s too wonderful to be filled with such doubts. Who cares if your parents don’t think you’re good enough. Everyone here, especially me, knows how much you’re worth and that’s incomparable to them. Do you hear me? ”

Penelope Park was already in love with Josie Saltzman. But if you could say that she was totally enamoured by this girl, now was the moment. Josie was right. So what if her parents don’t appreciate her efforts. She could have Josie by her side. Isn’t that all that matters in the end? 

“Wow, have you been keeping that in the whole time? Don’t go falling too hard for me Saltzman.”

There it was. The usual Penelope Park confidence that exuded out of the girl. 

“You’re right though. They don’t matter.”

At that comment, Josie smiled right away. 

“You said what? oh my goodness, Penelope Park admitting that I’m right?! a total shocker.”

“Shut up, I’m not gonna said it again.”

At that moment, the two girls were really close to each other and you could practically feel the tension in the air. As Penelope thought maybe now was the time, she received a whip of water on her face and Josie laughing in the background before she goes underwater to make her escape.

“Nuhuh, not today.” with a coy smile, Penelope goes underwater to catch her little prankster.

Obviously, being the best of the best, Penelope easily catches up to Josie. They battle for a few seconds in the water with their arms flinging everywhere until Penelope actually cup her hands around Josie’s face. They close their eyes and Penelope moves forward. It seemed like time itself was going to stop. In short, it was pretty much the best underwater kiss of all time. 

After a few seconds, they both lunged upward and gasp for air. 

“That was—“

Before Penelope could even finish her sentence, Josie lunged forward and kissed her again. She was craving her so much. Penelope was a whole damn meal you see. 

After they separated, Josie couldn’t help but blush at how horny she was.

“Woah, slow down tiger.” said Penelope with a small chuckle.

“Sorry, hahaha, I just couldn’t keep it in anymore. I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.” 

“I know.” Penelope said while staring at the beautiful brunette in front of her.

“Sorry for making you wait for such a long time.” Penelope added.

“Don’t ever apologize for taking your time to figure out your feelings. I’m just happy you feel the same way.” 

“Alright, how about we actually get out of the pool, dry out and go to my room for a lil binge watching marathon?”

“Is Penelope Park asking me out on a date?” Josie said feigning a shocked expression.

“Maybe” Penelope hummed.

“Hah, fine you. Let’s go to your room.” Josie said with a wink before getting out of the pool. She may or may not have walked away with water dripping down on her long slender legs.

Penelope’s heart may have skipped a few beats at that and left her a bit too astonished to be moving yet.

“You coming or not?” Josie’s voice echoed through the corridor.

“YES I am.” said Penelope with a little bit too much of excitement and hurriedness im her voice. She practically sprinted to join the brunette in the locker’s room and let’s just say they didn’t end up paying much attention to the tv screen anyways.


End file.
